Kinder Says Holden Has No Authority to Set Election Date

Senate President Peter Kinder (R-Cape Girardeau) insists Governor Holden has no authority to set the constitutional ban on same-sex marriage on the August ballot. The resolution approved by the legislature on the last day of the session calls for the question to be placed on the November ballot, unless the governor places it on another ballot. Kinder says the governor has no authority to put the issue on the August ballot, because he hasn’t received the resolution from the legislature. The measure is a Senate Joint Resolution and must be signed by Kinder before it can be delivered to House Speaker Catherine Hanaway (R-Warson Woods) for her signature. Kinder doesn’t plan on signing it until the end of next week, three days after the deadline to place issues on the August ballot. Kinder says the issue should be on the November ballot, because that draws the most voters. Kinder says that if Governor Holden wants to press the issue, he will see him in court.